The Mufti of Gümülcine Şerif expresses his delight at Miçotakis' visit to Turkey
Mufti of Gümülcine (Komotini) Serif said that Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' visit to Turkey was pleasing for both minorities.
The Mufti of Komotini Şerif, emphasizing the problems and legal pressures that the Muslim Turkish minority in Western Thrace faces, stated that Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' visit to Turkey is pleasing to minorities.
Mufti of Komotini, İbrahim Şerif, answered the questions of the Anadolu Agency (AA) in Belek, where he was on the occasion of the Antalya Diplomacy Forum 2022 (ADF), of which AA is the "Global Communication Partner".
Şerif expressed his delight at joining the ADF and thanked the Forum's organizers, saying that the ADF is a small version of the United Nations (UN).
Şerif said, “As President (Recep Tayyip Erdoğan) said, there were very good speeches that addressed the world and addressed humanity. I congratulate both the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu) and our President."
"We are a community that was left in Western Thrace in response to the Greeks of Istanbul in 1923 with the Treaty of Lausanne," Şerif remarked, adding that it is essential to discuss about olden history in order to understand Western Thrace. Our population is estimated to be between 120 and 150 thousand people, although this is not officially known.
Sharif stated that they were left in Western Thrace under certain conditions as religiously autonomous, and continued as follows:
"Therefore, both in Istanbul and Western Thrace, the minority has their own mosques, their own schools, and they manage them themselves. Here, the language of instruction is Greek and Turkish. We have waqf foundations and mosques. Our people were left in Western Thrace under these agreements. However, nearly a century has passed. Many subjects have been removed from the education curriculum of our minority schools during the last 100 years. In other words, there is a difference between the period when I went to primary school and today. The number of courses taught in Turkish is decreasing by the day (within curriculum). The state is taking more under its control.
Noting that muftis have been leaders who have been adopted and accepted by the people before, Şerif said, "However, since 1985, the state appoints muftis without asking the minority. There are foundations here. I see that Turkey made arrangements for minority foundations here in the past. Improvement has been made. However unfortunately, in 2022, the appointments made during the junta period are still continuing at the head of our foundations".
"The society is intimidated, legal pressure is being created on us"
Explaining that financial controls and legal interventions were made against them, Şerif said, "These both disturb and upset our minority. Many of our friends are facing trials. Trials for nothing."
Şerif stated that they held a march in Xanthi to seek their rights about 7 months ago, and said they were put on trial for it as follows:
"A protest march. In other words, the European Court of Human Rights want us to be recognized as Turks. And we ask Greece to recognize this. We held a march. It was suggested that people wear masks in crowded places on the days of the march, as masks were lifted in open public spaces. We just followed this and we put on our masks. Even though we were wearing our masks, they took our leading friends to court. It's under investigation right now." The investigation has not yet reached the judicial stage, according to Serif, but if it does, they will face a fine of up to 300 euros or imprisonment. “I am among these people, we have the Mufti of Xanthi, there are also mayors. Investigation opened. We are currently under investigation. Let's see what the result will be," he said.
Noting that pressure is being exerted on them with this investigation, since they are seeking their legal rights with this march, "There is an intimidation to the society, and a legal pressure is being created on us.” As a minority, they unavoidably disturb us," he remarked.
Regarding whether there is a prediction about when the investigation process will conclude, Şerif said, "Unfortunately, there is not because they conducted an investigation a few days ago 7 months later than of a march we did 7 months ago.”
"We are glad that Prime Minister Mitsotakis is here"
Serif, on whether Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis' visit to Turkey will have reflections on the solution of the problems of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace, said: "We are the minority, the people living in the majority do not understand our situation. We are one of the happiest. It's me personally,"
Stating that they wished for more frequent mutual visits, Şerif said, "I want to hope that good results will come out of this. That is, I do not say 'I hope', I want to hope'".
Reminding that President Erdogan drew attention to the uneasy state of the world in the speech he delivered at the opening of the ADF, Şerif said, "Greece and Turkey are two neighboring countries. It is not possible for them to be far from each other. We minorities, both the Greeks of Istanbul, and we are not people who remained of our own accord. Agreed and framed. We want to live in Greece within the framework of these laws and agreements. We are also happy that Prime Minister Mitsotakis is here. I hope he visits the Greeks of Istanbul as well. I hope President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will come to Western Thrace and he will visit us. But I would like Mitsotakis to accompany him on this visit, in fact. Because we are people who want to live peacefully.”
